ISMS of the church world
By Trevor Davis
3-6-2021

I will illustrate first of all what I intend to relay by a great biblical example. There was a man named Peter who was in a religion called Judaism who met Jesus, then left it, to follow Him.

One day, Jesus asked Peter, “who do people say that I am?” Peter answered. Then Jesus asked Him, “who do you say that I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God!” Jesus acknowledged that what Peter knew about Jesus was the truth, and it was the truth that no man gave to him other than the Father God Himself!

This is how the Spirit of God teaches us. We receive illumination, a quickening, God showing us and giving understanding and perception of the truth. We are then taught of and by God. Jesus said, “all that are taught of God come to Me”.

Jesus could not have meant that all who learn information about God, the things of God and about Jesus come to Jesus. No. No way! There are a lot of people that have head knowledge of things they heard and learned from other men but they do NOT come to Jesus. Many of these learners are disciples of famous or not famous teachers. But they are not taught by God by the Holy Spirit as Jesus instructed His true followers.

Religion has been around for a long time. We could speak of the ancient Israel and Judah religion that had a mixture of God and idols, of truth and falsehood. A religion that Isaiah prophesied had become so corrupt that they did not know God, they had forgotten Him. From the foot to the top of the head, God said there was only corruption and wounds not mended. There was only a remnant of faithful ones that God Himself kept for Himself. The others were as Sodom and Gomorrah, worshipers of other gods and embracing all manner of evil.

At the time of the arrival of Jesus the religion in Jerusalem was steeped in corruption. From false doctrine by the elders and fathers, to running a enterprise business off the temple. There were both sellers and buyers who ran the system which had a form of godliness, but DENIED its power. These are the ones that conspired to kill Jesus because He exposed them. Jesus is the light of the world and the darkness hates Him. Nothing is new under the sun.

Jesus went looking for the lost sheep in Israel. He found several. Men like Peter, Paul, John, James, and many godly women too, followed the voice of the Shepherd Jesus. They followed His command and example by laying down their lives unto death. Self denial. This is the way of Jesus. But religion, and all of the isms of the world contradict Jesus. They profess to know God but deny Him by their deeds. It is written.

Paul was a very passionate and zealous religious man of Judaism. He was trained by the best in the craft. He spoke of how he exceeded all his other comrades in the religion. He persecuted faithful disciples of Jesus even killing some. He in due time met this resurrected Jesus and was struck to the ground even with physical blindness. Paul did what he did in religion because of his zeal without true knowledge that comes from God. He said he did it ignorantly and in unbelief. God had mercy and grace on Him and called Him to His kingdom. Paul became a changed man. A new man. Much of which is written for all of those who also call upon the name of the Lord in sincerity.

Paul is the epitome of a person forsaking religion to follow Jesus in His kingdom.

I am convinced that the entire story of ancient Israel and God's dealing with them is a parable, an illustration, and example if you would, of what the church world is today. You can read Hebrews 3-4 and find out what happens to people that experience God and are given much from Him, only to fail to receive the prize. Why? Unbelief. Not knowing the ways of God. Not obeying Him. Not heeding His voice! If you live this way as they, you will experience the same decay.

The ones who conspired against Jesus and God the Father are the same ones opposing Him today and throughout history! They are called by Peter the builders that reject the Cornerstone Jesus. They build religion. With their natural force and ideologies of iconic teachers, they build a system founded on rebellion, stubbornness, idolatry, worldliness, falsehood, corruption and much more. It is a counterfeit system that may appear from the surface to be beautiful as a mausoleum, but on the inside, the heart, is all manner of evil, excess, and extortion. The builders of Judaism built much of what people call today Christianity. The church system itself is in violation of the ways of God and Jesus. The doctrines are twisted and distorted just as the rabbis of Judaism create to this day. It is Babylonian.

Jesus exposed the system. He knew they would succeed in killing Him. He knew He would rise from the dead on the third day. He was seen engaging with His disciples for forty days until He was taken up to heaven in a cloud. Since then, the gospel of the Kingdom is heralded by the true servants of Christ, and at the same time, the builders went back to work to rise the religious system by multitudes of ISMS to this day. An ism is an ism. An ism is not the Kingdom of God. Isms may have sheep caught in the tangle of weeds, thistles and thorns, but Jesus the Shepherd calls them out. IF they know and hear His voice, they will follow Him. IF they do not, they may remain and become discipled by the hypocrites and become twice the child of hell than their religious masters.

Paul spoke of certain men to avoid. He said they had a form of godliness but denied its power. There are lots of religious people trained in the system of the isms. They speak of God, Jesus and the scripture. But like those who Paul said to avoid, they are evil men and impostors. They are fake. But far worse than be a knock off copycat of a Christian. They are children of the devil and like him, they are servants of corruption though they can change shape as servants of righteousness. Paul wept of this fact for three years night and day. It was a big concern for Paul and the Lord Himself of course.

God is exposing the charlatans. He said He would reveal every dark thing done in secret. He said it shall be shouted from the rooftop. The light exposes the darkness and those of the light are to reprove it. Paul spoke of these impostors that must be avoided as resisting the truth as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses in his ministry. He said their folly shall be made known and obvious to see.

In recent time great exposures have come to the fore. Men famous and deemed excellent teachers and theologians have been exposed to be anything but a Christian. Sexual perverts and predators doing just what Paul wrote about in 2 Timothy 3. These men use their exalted persona to take advantage of their prey. From Ravi Zacharias, to Falwell Jr, to false teacher Perry Stone, or even the cultish wickedness of Paula White. There are many false prophets and teachers that have gone out into the world---the church world.

The builders that reject the Cornerstone mean business. They will do anything to remove those in their way. They want what they want regardless of the cost.

The Lord will have His assembly built. A spiritual house made without hands. A habitation of God, a temple, where God is glorified in purity, holiness, and truth. Jesus now goes through the land sowing the true Word of God by His followers. They are equipped by God to their service. With the pure Word of God, with the fullness of the abiding Holy Spirit, the power of God, the motive to have Him glorified, they sow the seed. The seed is the Word. The hearts of men is the soil.

As God perfects the things that concern us, we are to be teachable, pliable, obedient, and faithful. If we are faithful in little, God will give us more. Here a little, there a little. As newborn babes, we desire the milk of the Word that we may grow thereby. It is a living Word that comes from God. We are to hear it daily. Today, hear My voice, says the Lord. To the degree you hear, is the degree it will be given.

God shows what displeases Him as He showed Ezekiel the corruption of the ISM in Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 8.

Paul again is such an example who let the Lord teach Him alone. No school. No rabbi. No famous bible teacher. Paul did not even meet the other apostles for over three years. He allowed Jesus to instruct Him by the Holy Spirit. John confirms this. We have no need of a man to teach us. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth which is to abide in you, will teach you all truth, which is no lie. The truth and nothing but the truth.

Examine and test everything and everyone we are commanded. Follow Jesus. Hear His voice. Obey Him. Grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a command. But there are so many steeped in the ISMS of the church world and are leavened by the false doctrine of men, and the hypocritical manners they lived. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is their doctrine and hypocrisy. If you only knew what they are truly doing behind the curtain, it might surprise you. Or, maybe not...
www.SoundingTheAlarm.com

(edited 3-6-2021)

Notes:
Religion is not the same as the Kingdom of God.
Religion can not save.
Jesus never said “go to church”. He said, “Follow Me. Come to Me. Learn from Me.”
We are to be in fellowship with God/Jesus and the Spirit first and foremost. Then with others of the same.
There are people that have begun in Jesus Christ, but are having to learn from Him to
be separate from false religious form and doctrines in order to follow Him.
Nothing is new under the sun.
The same spirit of rebellion called “the builders that reject the Cornerstone” are in operation
throughout the religion of Christianity or Churchdom.
Churches are synagogues.
Synagogues are a place that people go to do religious activity and learn man-created doctrines.
What people typically think is “church” is a mutated form that is not scriptural.
The idea of “church” in scripture is the ekklesia, called out PEOPLE, that serve Jesus Christ and actively have His power enabling them in this life.
Synagogues had “rulers of the synagogues”. Today they are called “pastor” and other titles.
Jesus refuted the notion of having hegemony, or men, ruling OVER the brethren.
Peter echoed this in 1 Peter 5:1-4.
The Lord does not approve of any man or group of men creating a religious enterprise, denominated it or not, incorporating it, name-branding it, ruling over it, exalting themselves over the brethren as a ruler, or, being titled and paid to perform religious activities.

The “church” in the New Testament looked nothing like what is typically performed in the world today.
The old religious system has recreated myriads of corrupt forms throughout the world. As in fast food restaurants, there is every kind of taste, shape, sound, and size as a buyer would select.
The danger is that this illegitimate system of the church effects people in a very negative way:
Censors the Spirit of God.
Leads people away from the pure truth.
Leavens people by false doctrine and hypocrisy.
Eclipses Jesus with other exalted masters. John 10.
Falsely represents Jesus and the truth.
Diminishes the power of God.
Grieves the Spirit of God.
Quenches the Spirit of God.
Makes merchandise of the people.
Makes merchandise of the gospel.
Rampant hypocrisy by role playing and stage acting.
Exalted ones hide in secret their wicked lives. Many examples being exposed nowadays.
Ruins peoples' lives.
(end edit 3-6-2021)